Aerial toy



y 1932- w. SHIPPEE ET AL 1,867,714

AERIAL TOY Filed May 21', 1951 IN V EN TOR.

Patented July 19, 1932 TES airs wmson SHIPPEE AND CARL c. snirrnn, or RED BANK, new JERSEY AERIAL- roY Application filed Ma 21,

This invention relates to aerial toys and more particularly to toys having propellers which .are adapted to be spun and thereby raise it into the air.

The invention has for its object generally, an improved toy of the character described which is efficient, stays in the air a relatively long time, and is readily manufactured.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide .an aerial toy which has means both for lifting it into the air and for retarding its fall.

Another object of the invention is to provide aerial toys of the character indicated with means for readily launching it into the air without in any way retarding or interfering with the initial velocity.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious .and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application. of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description talren in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing an aerial toy constructed in accordance with the invention in position for launching into the air;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the launching means alone;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the construction of the toy when in the air with the parachute extended, so as to retard the fall; and

Fig. 4c is a fragmentary view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 1O denotes the base of a pedestal from which the aerial toy of the present invention may be launched. Upon the pedestal is rotatably mounted a capstan-like element 11 which rotates about a pin shown in broken lines at 12 that is 1931. Serial No. 538,915.

fixed in the pedestal 10, but passes loosely through a central bore in the capstan. The capstan has one or more kerfs 13 cut across its top for engagement with the bottom of a hub 14 which comprises the'main member of the aerial toy. About the outer periphery of the hub 14, and spaced preferably equidistantly, are secured a plurality of propellerblades 15. These blades are so disposed. that when the hub has attained .a desired angular celocity about its axis of symmetry, these propeller blades operate to lift the hub vertically into the air.

The hub aswill be seenin Fig. 3, is constructed as a hollow member and has one or more bars 16 extending across its bottom, to whicheare secured strands or cables 17 which engage with the peripheral portions of a parachute member "18. This parachute member is preferably not constructed to fold regularly in umbrella fashion, but may be any simple sheet-like member having a suii'icient extent of surface to retard theaaerial toyv in its descent from its position of maximum; height. The parachute. member thus formed and secured in the cylindrical hub is readily compressedand inserted or nest-ed in the top of the hub lt as shown in Fig. 1. "When the parachute is in place in the topof the hub 14, the device is adapted to be set .on the pedestal shown in F 2 ready for launching into the air. In this arrangement,.it isseen that the bar 16 serves as a means for engaging with the kerf 13 in the top of the capstan member whereby angular momentum is communicated when desired, from the capstan to the hub. e

.In operatiomthe aerial toy is set on the capstan with the bar 16 engaging the kerf 13, a. string or cable 20 having been previously 1 wrapped a sufficient number of times about the mid-portion of the capstan member as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The string or cable is then withdrawn so as to bring the capstan member up to the desired angular velocity. When a sufficient angular velocity is attained by the hub 14, the propeller blades 15 Will react upon the air and lift the hub vertically into the air; This lifting will continueuntil the angular momentuminitially imparted to the hub has been spent. Thereupon, the hub will begin to fall back, but as it does so, air will rush up through the bottom of the hub 14 and displace the parachute 18 that had been packed in the top of the hub. When displaced, the parachute will assume the position shown in Fig. 3 and cause the device to fall slowly through the air.

In the modified form of device shown in Fig. 4, the spinning means permanently engages with the hub 14: by means of a depending rod 21, which is secured to the bar 1.6. The means here'shown comprises a spool-like member 22 on which may be wrapped a string or cable 23, the spool-like member having a spindle shown in broken lines at 24: for detachably engaging with a bore in a pedestal 25. v

This form of devices operates substantially in the same manner as the formshown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that care should be exercised in providing a cable 23 of the right length, so that when fully withdrawn from the spool, the device has attained sufficient angular velocity to rise into the air as desired.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In aerial toys, the combination comprising a hollow cylindrical hub provided with propeller blades disposed to lift the hub into the air when rotating, a parachute-of flexible sheeting having a plurality of'cords for attaching the same over an end of said hub whereby it may be nested in the top of said hub, spider means in the bottom of said hub for anchoring said cords and admitting air for displacing the parachute, and means engaging the bottom of said hub for applying an initial angular velocity sufficient to cause the propeller blades to lift the hub into the air.

2. In aerial toys, the combination comprising a hollow cylindrical hub provided with propeller blades disposed to lift the hub into the air when rotating, a parachute of flexible sheeting having a plurality of cords for attaching the same over an end of said hub whereby it may be nested in the top of said hub, spider means in the bottom of said hub for anchoring said cords and admitting air for displacing the parachute, and a pedestal having a rotatable means adapted to engage with-the means in the bottom of said hub and to disengage the same when a suflicient angular velocity has been imparted to said hub.

3. In aerial toys, the combination comprising a hollow cylindrical hub provided with propeller blades disposed to lift the hub into the air when rotating, a parachute of flexible sheeting having a plurality of cords for attaching the same over an end of said hub whereby it may be nested in the top of said hub, spider means in the bottom of said hub for anchoring said cords and admitting air for displacing the parachute, a pedestal, and a rotatable capstan on said pedestal having a portion adapted to be engaged by a string that is withdrawn to produce a desired angular velocity, the top of said capstan being provided with complementary engaging parts for disengagably holding the bottom of said hub.

4. In aerial toys, the combination comprising a hollow cylindrical hub provided with propeller blades disposed to lift the hub into the air when rotating, a parachute of flexible sheeting having a plurality of cords for attaching the same over an end of said hub whereby it may be nested in the top of said hub, a bar secured in the open lower end of said hub and arranged to serve as the anchorage means for said parachute, a pedestal, and rotatable means on said pedestal for engaging said bar but to disengage the same when a suflicient angular velocity has been imparted to said hub.

5. In aerial toys, the combination comprising a hollow cylindrical hub provided with propeller blades disposed to lift the hub into the air when rotating, a parachute of flexible sheeting having a plurality of cords for attaching the same over an end of said hub whereby it may be nested in the top of said hub, a bar secured in the open lower end of said hub and arranged to serve as the anchorage means for said parachute, a pedestal, and a rotatable capstan on said pedestal having a kerf formed in its top and adapted to engage with said bar for imparting a desired angular velocity to said hub.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

WINSOR SHIPPEE. CARL C. SHIPPEE. 

